Letters to the Editor for July 25, 2010

Sunday

Jul 25, 2010 at 12:01 AMJul 25, 2010 at 12:20 AM

Another Bush?It's time for the hat trick. I nominate Jeb Bush for president. He did a great job as governor of Florida and would do an excellent job as president of the United States. Maybe Sarah Palin for VP? I think this combination would be the shot in the arm we all need.In the meantime, let's kick out all the incumbents.Jake JachnaOcala

Profiting from Pine OaksThe Ocala Star-Banner editorial, “Saved, for now” (July 16) about the Pine Oaks Golf Course and its profitability, prompted me to write.The Ocala Parks and Recreation department does an outstanding job of providing for youth sports without expecting a profit. Profit is not usually the goal of a city sports facility anymore than it is of a library.Recently, Pine Oaks hosted the 12th Koontz Girl's Golf Camp, a free two-week program organized to teach girls from 8 to 15 the rules, etiquette and skills required to play golf.Thanks to Pine Oaks, which donated its facility, Clark Creamer and Brian Gagnon of Pine Oaks, Sally Collins of On Top of the World, LuAnn Kandy of Country Club of Ocala, and the many ladies who donated their time and expertise, 75 girls will be able to participate in a healthy outdoor activity with friends, family and business associates throughout their lives.Though the city did not profit directly, the girls did, and we believe in the long run, so will the city. Diane KoontzOcala

On the doleLost your job? You may have to change your lifestyle.I cried tears over that July 18 account of poor 52-year-old Terri Sadler, whose 20-month outpouring of $1,552 per month unemployment checks ended in June. The largesse of taxpayer money had kept her cell phone, TV cable, Internet, credit card, laptop, new furniture and her 2006 Ford Mustang (Says she: “I've always had a thing about Mustangs”) and other necessities. But she's behind in her $275-a-month rent.Poor Ms. Sadler.New York Times writer Michael Luo gets positively weepy that Ms. Sadler is now “down to $4 in her purse and a quarter tank of gas” (in that red Mustang) and “has exhausted the help of family and friends” (as well as government dole?).Writer Luo admits that “Republicans” (and others?) have argued that “continuing to extend unemployment benefits offers a disincentive ... to find work.” (Hear, hear!)Ms. Sadler says she scored a job interview but turned it down (why work?) — it would have paid less than those checks rolling in each month.Poor Ms. Sadler.Bob JacobsOcala

Out of controlCongress is out of control with unconstitutional earmarks, wasteful spending and receipt of outrageous political contributions and perquisites, a.k.a. bribes. Our democracy is broken. And Rep. Cliff Stearns has amassed a fortune of $2.6 million by befriending corporations at the expense of the people.The Tea Party should advocate a fourth branch of government whose sole job is to contain the egregious misconduct of the legislative branch, including Stearns. Members of Congress should not legislate their own salaries, their own benefits, their own office expenses, free campaign advertising, plane rides, vacations, golf tournaments, VIP tickets or anything else which enures to them above and beyond the intent of our Founding Fathers of the Constitution.Please visit: http://perfectunion1787.com/containment.html and let the Ocala Star-Banner know your opinions.Steve SchonbergOcala

Proud American?I believe America is the light of the world. Not because of us, but because of the Founding Fathers. They established the principals of governance.To govern, you must have justice — justice for all. For all doesn't mean all Christians or whatever — it means everyone. There was one person that made me proud to be an American. He was small in stature and went bankrupt in business as a haberdasher, but he read the Constitution and was proud to be an American — not because of our wealth, not because of our military power, but because of the principals established by the Founding Fathers.Harry Truman, after reading the all the surveys that said that the vast majority were against integration of the armed forces, a man from Missouri, a state that was the center of the “free state/slave state” controversy, signed the documents in 1948 that integrated the armed forces. It is hard to be an “American” sometimes, because it means that you have to live up to the ideals of the Founding Fathers — the ones that sound so good and so noble when applied to us, but that are so hard to apply to everyone.Robert LottOcala

Lease optionsWith the huge slump in homes sales and the glut of foreclosures, I cannot understand why there are not more lease options out in the market.If a person is paying rent, they have less likelihood of being able to raise the 20 percent down payment required by banks. Lease options can be offered with 100 percent of the rent being used toward the down payment. After two years in the home, the renters can purchase the home without worrying if they do not have enough down payment to buy the home.The new renter must prove they can make the monthly payments and have good credit standing before qualifying for the lease option. This will prevent the home from going back as a foreclosure.There are honest, hard-working people who want to buy a home but can't come up with the 20 percent required by banks. It's time to give the real working man a break.Theresa GrimesOcala

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